Machine for ruffling and gathering fabrics



(No Model.) j l 2 sheets-sheet 1. G. W. WEISS.

MACHINE POR RUPFLING AND GATHBRING FABRIGS. No. 417,455. Patented Dec. 1'7, 1889.

. -ffw u4 Puma Pnnwumugmpmr, wnhingnm nc.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. W. WEISS. MACHINE FDR RUFFLING AND GATHBRING FABRICS.

y 10.4173155. 1 Patented Dec. 17, 1889.

/ l J3 l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE YV. VEISS, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, AND JOHN STEWART, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MACHINE FYOR R UFFLING AND GATHERING FABRICS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,455, dated December 17, 1.889. Application llled'Febrnary 28, 1888. Serial No. 265,583. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. WEISS, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York,'have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sewing-Machines for P lating and Quilting, of which the following is a specification.

The invention will be hereinafter fully de scribed, and pointed out in the claims. I

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is afront elevation of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan thereof, the upper arm of Vthe frame and the needle-operating arm being broken away. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the mechanism whereby the plaits are formed or laid. Fig. 4 represents box-plaiting made by my machine, and Figs. 5 and 6 respectively represent left-hand and right-hand plaitin g. l

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A designates parts of the main frame of a sewing-machine. Y

B designates Athe needle-armLwhich is fulcrumed at b. Y

O designates the needle-bar, and C the cloth-presser or presser-rod, which carries at its lower end the presserffoot O2.

.D designates the clothjplate o r work-bed of the machine, and lE designates the shaft which extends under fthe cloth-plate and serves to operate the feed-dog e and the looper or rotary hook c', whereby in this eX- ample of my invention the thread is looped on the under side of the work in order to form the stitches. I

Secured tothe bed or frame A of the machine is a supplement-al framerA, which supports the mechanism that I shall now describe.l v A IAbove the cloth-plate D is a carriage F,-

whichcomprises a bar F', mounted and adapt-V .The cam G', which is upon the back side of the wheel g', acts upon a truck-roller h on the arm h' of a bell-crank lever which is fulcrume'd at h2, and the other arm h3 of this bell-crank lever engages by a'pin-and-slot connection h4 the end of the bar F', which forms a part of the reciprocating carriage. The cam G', acting through the lever h h3, serves to move the carriage F toward the right hand of the drawings, and upon the bar F' is a1 tappet h5, which is secured in place by a set-screw h6, and on which the cam G2 acts to move the carriage F toward the left hand of the drawings.

It will be seen in Fig. l that each of the cams G' G2 has portions of greatest projection at points diametrically opposite each l other, and consequently at each complete turn of the wheel g' the carriage F has imparted to .it two complete double strokes or two strokes in each direction. Y As here represented the wheel g' is sixtimes the size of the pinion g,- and consequently a double stroke of the cari riagelF is performed during three revolutions of the shaft E and during three operations of the feed. In the'drawings the carriage F is shown at its extreme right-hand position, and an operation of the feededoge has just taken place.'- The next feeding movement'takes place when the carriage has nearly reached its extreme left-hand position, and the third feeding movement takes place while the carriage stands still in its left-hand position.

Mounted upon the carriage F are apair of jaws f f, which come together at their ,extremities, as shown best in Fig. 3, and which grasp between them the strip of .cloth s which is to be plaited, as shown by the black line in Fig. 3. By the reciprocating movement of the carriage F these jaws f, which grasp the fabric between their extremities, carry the fabric forward toward the needle, Apressing meanwhile either againstthe under side of the presser C2, which is inclined, as shown in Fig. 3, or against the upper surface of the cloth-plate D; When the jaws f during their inward movement press against the presserfoot C2, they form left-hand plaitin g, as shown4 at Sin Fig. 5, and when said jaws press against i IOO ing, as shown at S in Fig. G. If the jaws are shifted so as to press during their forward or inward movements alternately against the presser-foot C2 and the cloth-plate D, boxplaiting S2 will be produced such as is shown in Fig. 4. To provide for thus shifting the jaws f to perform either of the three kinds of plaiting described, I preferably secure them upon a rock-shaft F2, which is journaled in the frame F, as best shown in Fig. 2, and which is held against lengthwise movement by collars j" applied to it, also as shown in Fig. 2. The ends of these jawsf may be serrated or formed with fine saw-teeth, as shown at f2 in Fig. 2, so as .o take a positive hold upon the fabric and to carry it positively forward toward the needle. The rock-shaft F2 may be turned in one direction by means of a cam gl upon the shaft Gr acting upon an arm f3 upon the rock-shaft F2, and it may be turned in the other direction by a spring f4 applied to the shaft F2, as shown in Fig. 2.

The operation of the cam g2 upon the arm f3 will be best understood from Fig. 3, the shaft G rotating in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figs. l and 3. During such part of the rotation of the shaft G as the cam g2 is inactive, as shown in Fig. '3T-that is to say, during one operation of the carriage F-the spring fl turns the rock-shaft F2 in the direction indicated by the arrow thereon in Fig. 3 and lifts the jaws finto contact with the presser-foot C2, so that during their inward movement toward the needle they press against such presser-foot. Before the succeeding inward movement of the carriage F the cam g2 comes to bear upon the arm or lever f3 and dcpresses it, thereby turning the rock-shaft F2 in a reverse direction to that indicated by the arrow on it in Fig. 3, and, lowering the jaws f into contact with the cloth-plate D, holds them against the clothplate during their inward movement. By this alternate pressing of the jaws f against the cloth-plate and top presser C2 is produced box-plaiting like that S2 shown in Fig. I.

If left-hand plaiting is to be produced like that S shown in Fig. 5, the cam g2 should be removed entirely from its shaft or slipped out of line with the lever or arm f3, so that the spring f4 will hold the jaws f pressed continuously against the presser-foot C2.

If right-hand plaiting like that S shown in Fig. 6 is to be produced, a circular disk having the same radius as the greatest projection of the cam g2 should be substituted for such cam, and will then serve to hold the lever o1' arm f3 down and to maintain the jaws f pressed against the cloth-plate D.

Although I have above described the jaws f as being' pressed or held against their top presser C2 o1' the cloth-plate D, it will be understood that the material is never held between either of the jaws and the cloth-plate or presser-foot, but is at all times gripped between the two jaws and by them carried inward toward the needle, as distinguished from being pushed in, as is done by a single knife or blade working against the top presser or cloth-plate and grasping the material between it and such presser or cloth-plate.

I have representeda gage II as secured to the cloth-plate by a screw i, and against which the edge of the material bears and is guided as it is carried forward by the jaws f.

To still further aid in guiding the material in a direct line toward the needle, I have shown upon the carriage F a guide I, which is secured in place by a screw J, passing through a slot j in said guide, and which, therefore, may be shifted so as to cause its guideway to come directly in line with the jaws f. It will be observed that the spring f1 causes the rock-shaft F2 to hold the jaws f by an elastic pressure against the presser-foot C2, and consequently permits the jaws to give in passing down the incline of the top presser C2. The size of the plait may be varied by changing the position of the forward tappct h5 upon the bar F of the carriage, and provision is afforded for such adjustment by the set-screw 7L, which secures said tappct on said bar.

I do not desire to limit my invention to the guide I, fixed upon the carriage l?, as it may be, with nearly equal advantage, secured in stationary position to the fixed frame of the machine.

That I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a sewing-machine, the combination, with stitch-forming mechanism, of a feeder, a work-plate, a presser-foot, a carriage, two cams for imparting longitudinal movement to said carriage, a shaft upon which said cams are arranged so as to extend in opposite directions from said shaft, a rock-shaft 011 said carriage, a cam for rocking said shaft in one direction, a spring for rocking it in the other direction, and a pair of jaws both mounted upon said rock-shaft and adapted to press against either the presser-foot or the work-plate, substantially as specified.

2. In a sewing-machine, the combination, with stitch-forming mechanism, of a feeder,

.a work-plate, a presser-foot, a carriage having a reciprocating motion in the line of feed, a pair of jaws on said carriage between which material to be plaited passes and is moved along, a single rock-shaft on the' carriage upon which both said jaws are directly supported and by turning which said jaws are caused to press upon the work-plate or presser-foot, as desired, and an adjustable guide mounted on said carriage and through which the material to be plaited passes, substantially as specified.

GEORGE W. WEISS. Witnesses:

C. HALL, FREDK. IIAYNEs.

IOO

IIC 

